Real Family
by NinjaDevil2000
Summary: People say you shouldn't run away from things, but sometimes it can lead to something better. Sirius, for instance. After running away from his despicable family, he finds a new one. A better one. A real one.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. It owns me. _My mind, my soul, and my heart all belong to the beautiful world I'm blessed to be a part of._** **That was cheesy wasn't it. Ugh!**

**Author's Note: I really hope you enjoy this story. I've always enjoyed fleshing out the softer sides of characters. James and Sirius were really fun to do that with. I really love this trope of Sirius running away from home and hope I wrote it well. I tried to write a bit of a twist on it. Hope you all enjoy! Please review. **

**Written for the Grammar School Challenge in the IWSC. **

**Word count: 964**

**Focus: MacGuffins. I used the cookie jar and the cookies themselves as MacGuffins. Don't know if it's right, but I tried.**

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James woke up to a light rapping noise on his bedroom window. Sitting up in bed and pulling the covers off himself, he grabbed his glasses and wandered to the window, lighting his wand as he went. Peering through the dim moonlight, James looked down into the yard.

Shadows made it difficult to see, so James pulled the window open and pointed his wand down at a vague shape.

A face, one James knew as well as his own, looked up at him through the gloomy darkness.

"Sirius," James breathed.

"Hey, Prongs," Sirius replied, his voice weak and shaky. "Can we talk? And I need cookies," he added.

A second later, James was bounding down the stairs, two at a time, not really caring about whether or not he was waking up his parents. He opened the front door and found Sirius standing there on the threshold. They stood there for a quick moment, before Sirius stepped forward and hugged James tightly.

"What happened?" James murmured, hugging Sirius back. Sirius didn't answer, but James didn't mind. The two friends didn't hug much, but it felt sorta nice, and James could sense that Sirius needed it.

After another moment, Sirius withdrew, sniffing slightly.

"Come on in," James said, putting a hand on Sirius's shoulder and supporting him into the house, for he looked shaken and exhausted.

"What happened?" James asked again. Sirius had sat down at the kitchen table, but not before grabbing the jar which he knew was full of cookies, while James decided to make some coffee.

"I ran away," Sirius croaked out.

"Ran away?" James echoed. "Gosh, Sirius, I knew it was bad, but I didn't know it was that bad."

"They're so terrible. I couldn't take it anymore. My mum hates me; she's constantly yelling at me about how I should be more like Regulus. My dad just ignores me most of the time, except when I'm being punished. And Reggie," Sirius's voice broke a little at the sound of his little brother's pet name, "he hates me. He said that he doesn't want to see me anymore; he said he wants me out of his life. And . . . and that's just the tip of the iceberg."

"Oh, Sirius," James said, sitting next to his best friend and handing him a cup of coffee, which Sirius took with trembling hands.

James hesitated for a moment, than took one of Sirius's hands in one of his own.

"I'm so sorry, mate," James said softly. "I'm sorry I never realized how bad it was."

"It's not your fault," Sirius said. "I never said anything."

James sighed, wincing slightly at the pressure Sirius was putting on his hand, but he didn't much mind.

"Did you bring anything?" James asked as Sirius stuffed another cookie into his mouth.

"Just the important things," Sirius replied. "School stuff, my broom, stuff from you and Pete and Remy. It's all in the trunk outside."

"Come on," James said, standing up.

"What?" Sirius said, looking up at James.

"I'm going to go grab your trunk. You head upstairs and get in my bed, okay?"

"What? No, no, I'll sleep on the floor," Sirius replied, standing up too.

"Sirius, listen to me," James said adamantly. "You look dead on your feet. I'll sleep on the floor tonight, okay? I don't mind."

Sirius looked like he was about to protest again, but instead gave up, sighing in resignation at the look of insistence on James' face.

"Okay."

James watched as Sirius, still clutching the cookie jar, slowly made his way up the stairs, before grabbing Sirius's trunk. As James reached the door, his mother poked her head out of his parents' bedroom door.

"Jamie," she began softly, "why are you up, dear?"

"I'll explain in the morning, Mum," James replied. Euphemia nodded, before withdrawing back into her room and shutting the door with a soft snap.

James walked into his room and closed the door. He glanced at the bed to find Sirius already dozing peacefully. James smiled. Sirius would be okay. They would always be okay.

The next morning when James came downstairs for breakfast, Sirius with him, Euphemia and Fleamont looked up in surprise. Sirius had obviously been stressed about James' parents possibly being angry, for he let out a sigh of relief when, after James had explained the situation, Euphemia walked over to him and hugged him.

"Oh, Sirius," Euphemia said, cupping his cheek in a motherly way. Sirius swallowed thickly.

It was then that James really realized how lonely Sirius must be within his family, if he had never been held in a motherly way.

"I'm sorry, dear," Euphemia said softly, pulling Sirius into an embrace.

Later that day, Euphemia, much to Sirius's objection, went to Diagon Alley and purchased a new bed, along with Gryffindor colored bedclothes and a few general things she knew Sirius would need. Then, once she was back home, she set up one of their guest rooms, making it Sirius's new bedroom.

Sirius looked near crying point as Euphemia showed him the completed room, and both James and Euphemia looked pointedly in another direction while Sirius wiped his eyes covertly.

Dinner that night was amazing. James' mother had made a fantastic meal consisting of all Sirius's favorites.

"Here, Sirius," Euphemia said, after they had finished their main course. "I know you love my cookies, so I made a special batch just for you. James, these are only for Sirius," she added, stressing the word _only_.

"Hey!" James retorted in a good-natured way. Sirius smiled. As he took the enlarged cookie jar from Euphemia, he knew that he had finally been accepted somewhere. Yes, he had James and Remus and Peter, but this was different. He had a family. A real family.

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**You know you want to review! ;) Hope you all enjoyed. Love you all! Just one review makes these stories worth writing. :)**


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